Random Jeopardy! Question

[GSmaniac]

Could you ever say "Is It......?" for a question and get credit?

[whewfan]

Yep. I've seen at least one contestant phrase it that way, and Alex said "Well, that IS a form of a question"

Similarly, Carol Burnett forgot to phrase her response to a question, and before Alex said anything, she added on "What is it?" Alex gave it to her. Not long after, a contesant tried the same thing.

[chad1m]

From Wikipedia:
- On at least one occasion, a contestant has responded with "Is that an..." instead of "What is an..." and was ruled correct.
- In a regular season game in 2000, contestant Jeremy Bate responded to a question asking for a certain British rock band with "Who?" and was ruled correct.
- On October 24, 2006, contestant John Bowen was ruled correct with a response of "How about architect, now?" after using the aforementioned guess incorrectly earlier in the category.
- In 1984, contestant Ron Black was given credit for a correct response with the question, "Would you believe Get Smart?"

- September 16, 2004: SPEAKING IN TONGUES $800: A 1996 Oakland School Board decision made many aware of this term for African-American English... Ken Jennings responded, "What be Ebonics?"
- November 30, 2004: A CATEGORY ABOUT NOTHING $400: En español... Ken Jennings responded, "¿Qué es nada?"
- April 12, 2005: FROM THE FRENCH $1200 (DD, wager $2,000): It's a hint or trace of something (sounds like of Campbell's) "Qu'est-ce que c'est qu'un soupçon?"

[DoorNumberFour]

I also remember a Daily Double from 1998 or so where the contestant responded "Could it be _____ ?" ans was awarded her wager.

(I forget what the question was.)

[TheLastResort]

Interesting.  I always thought the contestant had to respond with a question that would produce the answer shown.  I guess any question will do, as long as it contains the keyword(s).

[Kevin Prather]

[quote name=\'TheLastResort\' post=\'149961\' date=\'Apr 10 2007, 08:15 PM\']
Interesting.  I always thought the contestant had to respond with a question that would produce the answer shown.  I guess any question will do, as long as it contains the keyword(s).
[/quote]
Well, suppose the category was "State Capitals," where you are given the capital, and you must produce the state. An answer could be "Sacramento," and the most likely correct response would be "What is California?" Would "What is California?" be correctly answered with "Sacramento"? Nah. A more "correct" response would be "What is the capital of California?" but that's so clunky that most Jeopardy contestants would not use it.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'whoserman\' post=\'149962\' date=\'Apr 10 2007, 09:20 PM\']Well, suppose the category was "State Capitals," where you are given the capital, and you must produce the state. An answer could be "Sacramento," and the most likely correct response would be "What is California?" Would "What is California?" be correctly answered with "Sacramento"? Nah. A more "correct" response would be "What is the capital of California?" but that's so clunky that most Jeopardy contestants would not use it.[/quote]Sadly, at the beginning of the original run, you had to get two things right: the kernel of relevant information, and the phrasing. "What is California?" wouldn't get you called wrong, but you wouldn't be awarded the money until you produced a proper question.

After boards were only getting through two-thirds of the clues, the producers got the hint and dropped that second requirement.

[BrandonFG]

In regards to Final Jeopardy!, don't contestants now write the "Who/What/Where Is" along with their wagers, b/c contestants were losing from not phrasing in the form of a question?

[TLEberle]

I'm just maggoty with posts tonight...anyway...[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'149966\' date=\'Apr 10 2007, 10:17 PM\']In regards to Final Jeopardy!, don't contestants now write the "Who/What/Where Is" along with their wagers, b/c contestants were losing from not phrasing in the form of a question?[/quote]One player was eliminated from an early Tournament of Champions for that very reason, in fact.

I'm guessing it was an issue of "We don't want to have to do this again," so now there's a rule.

[TimK2003]

I seem to recall an old clip show that had Gene Shalit on Art Fleming's version.  It was there that nearly every one of his responses was anything but the usual form of an answer.  I believe they had shown 2 or 3 of his answers.

[colonial]

Not sure of the year, but I remember a J! episode where an unusual reply occurred.

A contestant chooses an Audio Daily Double.

The clue asks the contestant to name the blues singer given the clip.

After hearing the entire clip and being prompted, the contestant said...

"Is that Muddy Waters?"

Alex pauses, then says the contestant did respond in the form of a question and ruled him correct.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'149967\' date=\'Apr 11 2007, 01:37 AM\']I'm guessing it was an issue of "We don't want to have to do this again," so now there's a rule.[/quote]
That is exactly correct.

[Neumms]

Have people ever phrased it "Sacramento is what?" That seems useful if you sort of forget to phrase it properly then catch yourself (as in the Carol Burnett example).

[Matt Ottinger]

The simple truth is that they're very loose on taking just about anything you offer.  They're only going to rule against you if you totally fail to remember the convention, and even then only during Double Jeopardy. (Alex will remind you in the Jeopardy round.)  I'm a little surprised that some smartypants hasn't gotten on and answered everything with "Is it...this?" or "Is it...that?" just to be cute.

[mmb5]

I always wondered if anybody has tried "What is" in a non-English language to fit the convention of the language, like "¿Qué es Madrid?"

--Mike, "¿Quién es más macho?"  (edited to add the upside down question marks)